Long Island father meets son for the first time after overcoming COVID-19
LONG ISLAND - Tony Thomas considers himself blessed.
He’s back at St. Francis Hospital feeling a whole lot better than he did just a few months ago. The 39-year-old was on a ventilator for four weeks fighting what doctors called a severe case of COVID-19. There was a rousing send-off when he was finally released.
“Tony really is the prime example of just how random and cruel this virus is,” said Dr. Jeff Wolf, Associate Dir. Of Surgical ICU, St. Francis Hospital.
Tony, an operating room nurse who is used to helping patients had every reason to fight as one himself. He missed the birth of his son Jonathan and had to wait 54 days to hold him. He also had two daughters at home begging for his return.
“I’m so glad I was able to fight through this with the help of the professionals,” Thomas said. “I was able to go home and be with my family my great joy.”
And baby Jonathan will one day have quite a story to tell. When he was born at the height of the pandemic, he was quickly whisked away from his mom Riya. Although he tested negative for COVID-19, she was positive and likely contracted it from Tony. His sister Tency, who happens to be a physician’s assistant at St. Francis cared for the baby for the first two weeks of his life.
“I’m so thankful that I was able to see him alive because for a while I thought I was going to lose him,” she said.
Tony thanks the doctors and nurses for their unwavering support. He’s expected to make a full recovery. For now, he’s taking one day at a time, enjoying his family and how much stronger he’s feeling.
“For Father’s Day, this is my true bundle of joy, just being with them, spending time and being thankful every day for what I have,” he said.
And Riya is celebrating too.
“I’m so happy I’m the luckiest woman in the world,” she said.